Greg Macafee stories, Page 15
Fox Chapel gets a win over Hampton before three-week shutdown
Before his team met Hampton on Friday for its only game in the next three weeks, Fox Chapel boys basketball coach Zach Skrinjar wrote a message on the whiteboard. It was a simple question mark. Big and bold. “We always have a last word before the game, and our last...
After a down year, Kiski Area wrestling looking to prove it belongs among Class AAA elite
The Kiski Area wrestling team might have fallen short in many areas last season, and the Cavaliers might have lost a ton of talent, but don’t expect them to be anything short of motivated entering a season like no other. They might be battling a pandemic while battling their opponents,...
Highlands girls basketball excited about prospects for new season
The Highlands girls basketball team is ready to surprise people this season. With a young roster featuring just one senior, coach Courtney Udanis is excited about what her team might be able to do. “We have a really good group of freshmen coming up, and we’re pretty ecstatic, especially after...
Boys basketball preview: Highlands ready to take on challenges
The Highlands boys basketball team is ready for the challenge. Multiple challenges actually. On Monday night, Highlands School District reversed a decision it made earlier this month and approved winter sports to move forward after recently delaying them until mid-January. So the Golden Rams are behind in terms of preparing...
In year like no other, Burrell wrestlers look to capture 15th straight WPIAL title
Even during a pandemic, there’s not a year that goes by when the Burrell wrestling program isn’t in the mix for a WPIAL Class AA championship. It’s no secret the Bucs have won 14 straight WPIAL titles, and if they are able to complete their season this year, they are...
Highlands’ Gabe Norris commits to Robert Morris University
Gabe Norris’ recruitment has dragged on for the past two years, but when it came down to it, the Highlands midfielder found his collegiate home in about two weeks. On Sunday, Norris announced his commitment to continue his soccer career at Robert Morris. “It’s weird because I’ve been doing this...
Loaded Sewickley Academy girls roster includes 5 returning starters and then some
The excitement in coach Mark Gaither’s voice was through the roof. Just one year after achieving an overall record of 14-12 and earning a berth into the WPIAL Class A semifinals, the Sewickley Academy girls basketball team is returning all five of its starters and then some. “We have a...
Quaker Valley girls basketball, a program on the rise, sets championship goals
The Quaker Valley girls basketball team got a nice taste of success last season, and now it’s ready for more. After recording an overall record of 17-7 and earning a blowout first-round victory over No. 9 West Mifflin, the Quakers got a shot at No. 1 seed North Catholic. While...
New coaches bring excitement, confidence to Springdale girls basketball
There’s a new-found energy surrounding the Springdale girls basketball program. Jerry Clark and assistant coach Meredith Cooper are in their first year running things after spending time at the junior high level, and they are ready to erase the stigma that has surrounded the program for so many years. “We’re...
With newfound focus and depth, Springdale boys ready to make deep playoff run
The Springdale boys basketball team came out of nowhere last season. Led by junior guard Demitri Fritch, who scored 24.7 points per game, the Dynamos cruised to a 20-4 record, scoring 63.6 points per game, and were on the verge of making their first WPIAL semifinal appearance since 1991. It...
Shady Side Academy girls basketball returns full roster from last season
Not many WPIAL teams can boast about returning their entire roster. The Shady Side Academy girls basketball team can, and coach Caroline Fitzgerald is excited to see what they can do this season. With a young lineup last season, the girls took their bumps and bruises and limped to a...
Behind mixture of youth, experience, Shady Side Academy boys ready to compete
The Shady Side Academy boys basketball team lost eight seniors to graduation, but coach David Vadnais is excited about what his young players bring to the program. “For everybody, it’s going to be a weird year, but it’s going to be an interesting year for us because those seniors that...
Highlands alum Dale Shaw part of 1st all-Black officiating crew in NFL history
Nov. 23 was a historic day for the NFL, and Highlands alum Dale Shaw was a part of it. When the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers played on “Monday Night Football,” an all-Black officiating crew took the field for the first time in the history of the league....
Plum girls looking to take next step with experienced, talented roster
The Plum girls basketball team was on the brink of the first section title in school history last season but fell a game short. After a loss in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs to Penn Hills, the Mustangs finished their season 14-7. It was their first...
Plum boys looking to develop consistency, return to playoffs
The Plum boys basketball team just missed out on a playoff appearance last season. The Mustangs were hovering between fourth and fifth place in Section 3-5A and needed crucial wins down the stretch to secure their first playoff berth since the 2015-16 season. They dropped three of their final five...
Leechburg girls coach shares special bond with team as they build for future
Leechburg girls basketball coach Andre Carter has a special bond with his team. When he was named varsity coach in 2018, Carter also coached the junior high team. Now, he has a roster full of players he watched come up through the system. “This year is my first year that...
Run-and-gun Leechburg boys looking to keep pedal to the floor
Last season, the Leechburg boys basketball team loved to run, play fast and create as many scoring opportunities as possible. “The more chances the better,” Leechburg coach Damian Davies said. They did so successfully, too. The Blue Devils averaged 70 points per game, which was tied for the second-highest in...
Trib HSSN WPIAL boys soccer all-stars: Dane Beller came through in clutch for Mars
Player of the Year Dane Beller Mars, Sr., F The Mars Fightin’ Planets were pressing. They were down a goal in a physical PIAA championship game with a state title at their fingertips. Senior forward Dane Beller was issued a yellow card midway through the second half, and while his...
Girls basketball preview: With top scorers back, excitement grows at Knoch
It’s a new year for the Knoch girls basketball team, and the Knights have a lot to be excited about. After going 17-7 a year ago and making a trip to the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals, the Knights return four of their top six scorers and have a ton of...
Boys basketball preview: With new head coach, Knoch might look a little different
The Knoch boys basketball team will look a lot different in 2020. After former coach Ron McNabb stepped down in the offseason, Freeport grad Alan Bauman took over the program for his first varsity head coaching job and is looking to continue the success Knoch has had in recent years....
Boys basketball preview: Quaker Valley looking to run with experienced roster
By this point in the year, the Quaker Valley boys basketball team is used to having close to 60 offseason games under its belt, and although they may not matter in the grand scheme of things, those games are crucial. From spring shootouts to summer team camps and leagues, along...
Sewickley Academy boys ready to rebound from 1st losing season since 2012-13
The Sewickley Academy boys basketball team is coming off its first losing season since 2012-13 but with a lack of size, and experience, it could’ve been worse. “These are really good kids and we actually overachieved to have the record that we did,” Sewickley Academy coach Win Palmer said. “We...
Boys basketball preview: Freeport looking to play fast and aggressive
Wayne Greiser and the Freeport boys basketball team are looking to change their ways this season. Even though the Yellowjackets lost eight seniors to graduation, they still could go 10 deep and have a starting five that could interchange at any position. With depth and athleticism on their side, the...
Deer Lakes’ Michael Sullivan chosen Valley News Dispatch Boys Soccer Player of the Year
Valley News Dispatch Boys Soccer Player of the Year Michael Sullivan Sr., F, Deer Lakes When Deer Lakes senior Mike Sullivan stepped onto a soccer field, he typically drew the attention of two or three defenders. Anytime an opposing coach revealed a gameplan, either going into a game or afterward,...
Girls basketball preview: Freeport looks to replace a talented senior class with ‘young’ and ‘athletic’ roster
The Freeport girls basketball team is set to face a tough challenge. After posting an overall record of 17-8 and making a run to the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals and PIAA first round last season, the Yellowjackets will have to replace five seniors, including leading scorer Sidney Shemanksi (12.5 ppg.)...
